The Secret Life of a Book Blogger Tag

Posted March 7, 2017 / Personal / Information / Etc. / 11 Comments

I was tagged by Lindsey at Bring My Books for The Secret Life of a Book Blogger Tag back in January and I’m finally getting around to posting it! I’m the worst. Here are some fun prompts about you as a book blogger and your process. I tag anyone reading this, as always!

How long have you been a blogger?

I started my blog in July 2014 and went crazy getting WAY too many posts up right away. I wrote reviews, participated in a billion memes, and made ridiculous graphics I cringe at now. I can’t believe I’m nearing the three year mark because I never thought I would actually be able to hold onto a hobby for this long.

At what point will you stop blogging?

I can’t see an end date as of right now. Even though I somehow haven’t quit this hobby yet, you never really know what could happen. I could see my blog venturing more toward a book + lifestyle blog at some point (including a rebrand and new name perhaps). I love writing more personal posts and non-bookish things. We’ll see what happens but long story short, I don’t see myself stopping with blogging anytime soon.

What is the best thing about blogging?

I love finding bookish people to talk with! I’ve developed some amazing friendships with people who get it. They understand the desire to read books and get lost in other stories. Many of my real life friends don’t feel that way, so this corner of the internet has been amazing. It’s also helped me be a more compassionate person and understanding just how privileged I am compared to others. I may not actively speak out about diversity as many others do, but that doesn’t mean I’m not taking it all in and learning.

What is the worst part? What do you do to make it okay?

I don’t really feel outside pressure to blog as much as I do, but I still struggle with scheduling blog posts. I need to learn that it’s okay to take a break or post less. I get overeager about various posts and topics, then get in over my head. I still need to find a balance with my reading, blogging, and other hobbies. I have a feeling I’ll be getting better with this as 2017 continues because some life changes will happen and force me to.

How long does it take you to make/find pictures?

It honestly doesn’t take me that long! My image-creating system really works for me and I love it. I don’t use a lot of images besides the occasional GIF and of course books covers. I usually insert my own photos if it’s a more personal or wrap-up post, so that’s easy too.

Who is your blog crush?

This is a tough one! I respect and admire so many people and their blogs. I think the first blog I really came across would be Jamie’s or Brittany’s, and the first blogger I developed a friendship with was Andi. I did some good shoutouts in my first blogiversary post if that answers the question 😉

What author would you like to have on your blog?

The first that came to mind is Kasie West, followed closely by Sarah Dessen. I don’t usually interact with authors too much on a personal basis but those are my major auto-buys! I usually love nearly all of their books. I suppose I could say the same for Sara Shepard, since I’ve read all of her YA books and 1-2 of her adult books. I would probably fangirl like crazy if she were to be on my blog for something.

What do you wear when you write your blog posts?

Lol to be honest, I’m usually at work! So… business casual attire?! I use my breaks in the day to write posts and check out what others are posting. I love clicking through Bloglovin throughout the day to keep up with the latest from my favorite people. If I’m at home and blogging, I usually am wearing something very comfortable. I change into pajamas the second I get home from work.

How long does it take you to prepare?

Honestly I have no idea. Reviews don’t take me too long to write, especially because I format them and add book info into UBB ahead of time usually. I just let my thoughts flow out. Other posts that require lots of graphics or images take a bit of time to create. I feel like I’ve never spent more than an hour or two on a post though, unless I update it as time goes on. My wrap-up posts are curated throughout the month as things happen, books get acquired, and items get purchased!

How do you feel about the book blogger community?

I love it. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here right now. Things are definitely interesting on Twitter, regardless of which account I’m on, so I know it’s not just a book community thing. I think everyone in our community is SO educated about diversity – compared to how I was in high school or even a year or two ago – so it’s nice to have my eyes opened to things. I hope people remain open-minded, talk things through, and fight for what’s right.

What do you think one should do to get a successful blog?

That’s tough! I can really only recommend what I did. I started a blog, I found other blogs, I followed them, I chatted with people, and I keep plugging away at it. I don’t really care  about being a ~successful~ blog because it’s never really been about that. The only reason I know follower counts and other numbers is because I use them to occasionally request ARCs. Just stay passionate, keep it fun, and don’t worry about anything else!

11 responses to “The Secret Life of a Book Blogger Tag

  1. Rowena

    I love this and your answers, Lauren! I’m so going to do this on my blog. Kasie West and Sarah Dessen would be awesome to have on your blog. I love both of them.

    I loved seeing what makes you the fabulous book blogger that you are and I don’t believe that you made horrible graphics. You’re too good at them!

  2. I’m really enjoying this book tag – I’ve gotten to learn so much about so many bloggers, and they always point me to another one or two that are new to me!

    I wish I could blog at work, but I’m usually so in need of a break on my breaks, that I put down my technology and leave the office for a bit haha

    I also wish I could spit out posts as quickly as you! I’m not usually one re-visiting and revising once I’ve scheduled a post, but I can spend hours on a post, messing with formatting and tweaking and re-wording.

  3. This is a fun tag. And I agree- the book blogging community is fantastic and really gives one a place to geek out about books, since in real life that’s not always the case. Great post!

Leave a Reply

(Enter your URL then click here to include a link to one of your blog posts.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.